Furry Moments In Time
by Dee31
Summary: OneShot: Sequel to Furry Memories, told once again through my amber eyes, as I relive the past few years since Troy and Gabriella’s engagement. As time continued, our family grew as did the love and the number of furry moments of time to cherish.


_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or places created by the High School Musical franchise or by Disney!_

* * *

Back again? I promise my little furry life can't be that interesting. Well, it has been a while since you last saw my life and my views on Troy and Gabriella's life together. There are actually new ones in our lives now too. I remember actually when the new human appeared three years or so ago…

_I slowly opened my eyes, let out a huge yawn, stretched my paws out as far as I could, and promptly fell from my perch and onto the floor as a strange yet familiar scream echoed through the new place we lived in._

_"Gabriella? Babe, where are you?" Troy called out, rushing into the room I was in, where I just barely recovered from my fall. Of course, he almost ran over me with a panicked look on his face._

_"Troy!" came an anguished voice from upstairs that I knew belonged to our Gabriella._

_I pushed my own pain and ache away and chased after Troy up the padded stairs and into their room where they slept in. After jumping onto their bed, panic filled my body just looking at the pain she was in, clutching her much rounder belly than she used to have._

_"Babe, what's wrong? Is it the baby?" Troy asked, fear and excitement both radiating from him._

_"No, the pipes burst," Gabriella bit out as she tried to hold back another scream of pain, only small bits of her scream escaping her lips. "Yes Troy, your son or daughter is coming and my water broke. I feel like I'm being put through more pain than I can take too… ARGH!"_

_"Okay, okay. Just breathe, remember what we learned in that class. You have to keep breathing for me."_

_"I'm trying, but don't you think going to the hospital would be the best thing right now?"_

_"Oh yeah, right. Umm, where's your bag?"_

_"Right where we put it a week ago for this exact moment, in my closet. Hurry Troy!"_

_I watched as Troy dashed off in the direction of the room where all Gabriella's clothes were only to come back with two bags._

_"The green bag, not my black gym bag!" I cringed as I heard Gabriella's tight voice and actually felt sympathy for Troy as he dropped one bag and then rushed to Gabriella's side. "Troy, this hurts so much! What if we don't get to the hospital on time?"_

_"We will get there, I promise," I heard him reply back, his arms slipping around her to help her out of the bed._

_I ran over to her and nudged her body with my head, trying to help, almost stumbling off the bed when Gabriella stood up on her feet._

_Together, Gabriella and Troy moved towards the steps, Gabriella doing a more exaggerated walk to get there. I had noticed as her midsection got bigger, her movements when she walked had become less graceful, less familiar to the usual walk I was used to her having. Instead, she moved more side to side and especially today she was slower, pausing every so often._

_I jumped off the bed and ran over, coming to a stop right in front before I was almost stepped on. "MEOW!"_

_"Miles, not now. Get out of the way!" he yelled at me, stress clearly in his voice._

_Instead of huffing at him, as I sensed whatever was going on now was big, I ran down the steps ahead of them and waited dutifully, cringing every time I heard her scream. Without another glance at me, they both were out the garage door, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist, his own face looking like he was in pain too with each scream._

_Seeing the swinging door begin to close, I ran as fast as I could but just missed the door closing completely. _Now what?

_I sat there for ages, not sure of how much time passed, never looking away from the door, even when my stomach began grumbling out of hunger._

_Eventually though, I felt sleep calling to me as I laid down in front of the door, seeing the closed door as the last thing I saw before sleep claimed me._

_When I next woke, my stomach growled at me louder than I could growl back at it so I got up and went to my food bowl, seeing only dry food there, evidence that wherever Troy and Gabriella went, they weren't back yet._

_After satisfying my stomach with almost the whole bowl, I drank some water before I began wandering around the place, keeping my ears alert for any sound that would indicate another presence yet hearing nothing at all._

_Restless, I went outside for some fresh air and immediately spotted some birds playing in the bird bath despite the shadows growing on the ground. Needing some stimulation, I decided to do a sneak attack. Crouched down on all fours, the three little birds chirping away happily and in my sight, I focused on only them as I felt the power surge through my back paws._

_As I felt myself leave the dirt behind, my gaze never wavered on the silly feathers that were being fluffed up with each little movement they made to enjoy the water. _That's it birdies, just keep on bathing…

_Before I knew it though, the birds flew out of my range as I landed on the bird bath, getting myself wet from the water, only to hear their mocking chirps. I looked around and spied them, most likely laughing in bird language, as they stared back at me from a tree branch high off the ground._

_I jumped down and shook myself off, taking time to lick myself clean where I felt dirty, but kept them in my gaze as they did me._

_After playing outside for a while longer, I got bored with the fluttering creatures that went above my head and headed back inside, pausing when I entered to try to detect any movement, which there wasn't any._

_In fact, there wasn't any until three naps later, when Troy came back home, alone._

_"Miles! Where are you boy?"_

_I quickly abandoned the last of the dry food I was eating and ran towards his voice, more than happy to have someone around after so long of being by myself._

_"Hey there! I bet you thought we abandoned you," he murmured as he picked me up, cradling me in his arms as I brushed my head up against his face and purred to show my happiness in seeing him. "I can tell I've been missed."_

No kidding and I'm hungry! Wait, where's Gabriella?_ I paused my purring as I looked over his shoulder and around, seeing no sign of her, not smelling her._

_Troy must have sensed my confusion because he put me on the kitchen counter before lowering himself down far enough to look me in the eyes. "We have a new addition to the family Miles. Gabriella is at the hospital and will stay there for tonight and the night after with Ian Christian Bolton, but then you'll have her and our new baby back home. Life is going to be a bit different around here."_

_I watched as he did that eye thing of his again, closing one eye quickly while keeping the other open and trained on me, his grin widely spread across his face. In fact, Troy was radiating more happiness than I had seen come from him in a while, possibly just as much as he did when Troy and Gabriella came back from that long vacation a few years ago, the two entering our apartment back then with Gabriella being cradled in his arms before they went into their room to make those loud noises again._

Of course, that was only the first addition. Since then, there has been another baby, a female this time named Denise Marie Bolton, who was brought home several months ago. The home was now louder than ever with so much more going on than when it was just the three of us. _Even with two young humans in the house, it was the addition between Denise and Ian that has caused the most trouble in my life._

Honestly, I should have known the day Troy came home with her that I'd have more trouble on my paws than just caring for Ian.

When I heard the closing of the front door, I raised my head from where I was napping next to the large contraption where they put Ian to play, basically a cage for human young ones, and instantly narrowed my eyes as I smelled a new, distinct smell. After I glanced over at Ian and saw that he was happily playing with some furry stuffed toy, liquid coming out of the corner of his mouth, I got up and trotted over to the main hallway where I heard Troy call out to Gabriella.

_"Brie! I have a birthday present for you down here!" he yelled up the stairs._

_"Troy, you know you didn't have to get me anything!" she called back down as I heard her walk down the steps. "You spoil me too much as it is!"_

_Troy rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say baby. I guess I'll just have to return this adorable little present then…"_

_"Hold it, is that what I think it is?"_

_"Maybe… You won't know though until you open this box."_

_I stared at it as Troy held it on the sides, only then noticing the small movements the box was making. _Please don't let it be a stupid dog…

_"Mew, mew!"_

_Frozen by the high-pitched sound, I watched as Gabriella finished pulling the lid off the box and reached in to bring out a baby of my own kind, a brand new kitten who anxiously licked her cheek._

_"Suck up," I muttered, taking some satisfaction that was fleeting when she raised her little head and saw me there. "Yeah, it's not just you here and I have seniority."_

_"But I'm cuter than you, far cuter," the kitten had the gall to reply, a smug quality in her voice._

_"Oh, how cute is that? They are talking to each other Troy!" Gabriella exclaimed, turning so she could bring the kitten closer to me as she sat down on the floor next to where I stood. "Miles, aren't you excited? Now you won't be alone when we aren't at home buddy!"_

I liked it when it was just me and you! _Not that my thoughts mattered but I could already tell this new young cat was going to be trouble._

_"What are you going to name her Brie?" Troy asked as he set down the box, coming over to pet the kitten._

_Gabriella sat for a while, silence enveloping her as she thought. "How about we ask Ian?"_

_"Umm, Gabriella, our son is barely a year and a few months. Do you really think he's ready to name your 30__th__ birthday present?"_

_"So? He's smart, takes after me."_

_Troy chuckled at this. "Oh really? I guess we'll just have to see. Where is Ian anyway?"_

_"In his playpen in the living room."_

_I watched silently as Troy left to go get Ian while Gabriella continued to rub the kitten under its chin, cringing as I heard the purring from her. _God I'm really going to miss my loner days, I can tell already.

_When Troy came back, he sat down on the ground with Ian in his lap, his little hand instantly reaching out for me. I learned early on that if I went to Ian willingly, it made the pain minimal so I padded towards him, feeling his small hand grip a handful of my fur before Troy opened his hand to help him pet me gently. _Note to self, be extra nice to Troy even though I'm mad at him for bringing the kitten home.

_"Ian, I know you love Miles but we have a new kitten for you to play with too now. Do you want to name her?" Gabriella asked, stretching out her arms so the kitten now stood in front of Ian, who eyed her a bit wearily. "She's really friendly. Why don't you pet her?"_

_My heart clenched as Ian used his other hand to reach out and pet her head before the kitten drew back and bopped his hand away. Some satisfaction filled me as he instantly drew away, Troy quickly checking over his hand. "Mean kitty!"_

_"You're all right buddy, the kitten was just startled is all. Try being slower this time," Troy comforted, taking the little hand of my young charge and extending it out again towards the kitten, slower this time, letting her smell their combined scent before brushing her head against Ian's hand._

_"See, they love me already," I heard the kitten taunt._

How old was she anyway?_ I just returned her quick gaze before turning my attention back to the humans._

_"So? Do you like her Ian?" There was a hopeful tone in Gabriella's voice that communicated to me that she was already bonded with the little fluffy baby cat._

_"Miles!" Ian voiced, making me purr instinctively, knowing in that moment that even if Gabriella and Troy betrayed me that Ian would always be my human._

_Troy and Gabriella both laughed. "Guess we know who Ian prefers but in some time, he'll get used to the kitten. So, dear wife, a name?"_

_"I'm not giving up on Ian yet. Ian, what should we name the kitten? She's all white with nice long fur and hazel eyes."_

_Ian stared at the kitten while his hand clenched and unclenched in my fur. "Fluffy!"_

_I could not help but snicker. _That's the same name I gave Troy and Gabriella's frequent visitor, the one with the big fur on the top of his head. Yeah kid, you score more points in my book for that. _Seeing the silent debate between Gabriella and Troy, I saw Troy reluctantly nod after a few moments._

_"Fluffy it is. Welcome to the family Fluffy!" There was something amusing over how Troy almost choked on the name 'Fluffy' but I rubbed my head against Ian's pudgy little arm to show my appreciation of him. "And also, by the way, happy 30__th__ birthday Gabriella!"_

_"Was wondering when those words would cross your mouth." Gabriella giggled as the two leaned towards each other and pressed faces together, their lips fusing together, a sight I was more than used to by now._

_"What are they doing?" I heard Fluffy ask._

_"What humans do when they love each other," I answered._

_"Oh."_

_Part of me felt bad for being so snappy with her as I saw her deflate before my eyes but then reminded myself that she reacted this way because she wasn't getting attention. "Better get used to it, Fluffy, because they zone into each other quite often."_

_"That was before me."_

_The confidence I heard made me laugh. "Whatever you say."_

With two adult humans, two young humans, Fluffy, and myself living in one house together made for never a dull moment. Over the years, I had grown accustomed to the cries of the babies and even grew a large tolerance for Fluffy so long as she wasn't getting me in trouble. _These days granted she's settled down a bit more from her kitten days but she's still wild compared to me and how I was at that age._

Ian let out a burst of giggles as he ran after Fluffy, who seemed like she was running for her life, stopping and hiding behind me where I laid in the dirt, sunning myself. "What is it Fluffy?"

"Get that kid to stop chasing me!" she pleaded. "He's just going to pick me up and…"

Fluffy never finished her sentence as Ian chose that moment to swoop her up and hold her between his hands which circled her midsection, seeming to squeeze harder as Fluffy squirmed more. I could tell that Fluffy was getting edgy the longer he suspended her in the air like that so I thought it best to intervene. "Take it easy there Fluffy, he's just a kid."

"So am I!"

"Difference being that he's very innocent and doesn't know his strength. You do," I reminded her. "Don't even think of swatting at him either. After the scratch you left on him a couple of days ago, you better behave if you know what's good for you."

"Puh-lease! Troy and Gabriella would never do anything to me!" Fluffy scoffed, stopping her talking as Ian shook her a little.

I saw her fluffy paws unsheathe its claws and knew then I had to prevent another swat of hers that would harm Ian. "Enough!"

Quickly, I got up and closed the distance between where I was and where Ian stood with a pissed off Fluffy in his hands. I stood up on my hind legs and gently put my paws on his hands, encouraging him to let go with some pressure. Ian got my hint and let go, letting Fluffy drop to the ground before she scampered off without a word of gratitude.

I shook my head as I saw water glisten in his eyes as Ian began to get upset that he lost his toy. With a sigh, I brushed myself around his legs, making my purr even louder to try to soothe him. It seemed to do the trick as I saw no sign of the liquid again when I stopped, plopping myself down in front of him on the grass, grateful to see his smile on his face again, the same smile Troy had.

"Troy, did you see what just happened there?"

Without looking, I knew that Gabriella, carrying Denise, was looking at me and Ian as Ian sat down heavily next to me, causing me to move my tail quickly or have it be squashed. _He is so his father's son! Both love squishing me, whether it's Troy rolling on top of me in the bed or Ian not knowing his boundaries as he moves._

"What are you talking about babe?" I heard Troy ask from where he was pulling out leafy things out of the ground.

"Miles. I think he just spared Ian another scratch. I swear that Miles has adopted Ian as his own kitten or something," she replied, her gaze easily felt by me as I allowed Ian to pet me, purring in return.

There was a pause before Troy spoke again. "Could be. Those two have always been close, even after I brought Fluffy home for you. Maybe Fluffy and Denise will have the same type of bond, being the same gender and all."

"The same gender and all? Troy Bolton, I think that was actually sexist!"

I looked up then, seeing Troy straighten from where he was crouched in the dirt, taking off the material he wore on his hands before brushing his legs off a bit and then moving to approach Gabriella. "Come on Gabriella, you know I didn't mean it like that."

"Oh? How did you mean it then?"

"Just that, well, I… I'm not going to win this one am I?"

Gabriella giggled. "It's better you stop now, yes. Glad to see you're learning when to give up the battle there Troy. Just another reason why I'm more in love with you now than I was all those years ago."

"Aww, Brie, I love you too."

A warm feeling filled me as I watched them lean in and kiss for the hundredth time since we all came outside to keep Troy company as he worked around in the dirt. I had fun earlier on playing with the different creatures that came out of the dirt as he dug but found that my attention was needed more to watch Ian to make sure he didn't hurt himself or that Fluffy didn't hurt him. Denise wasn't much of a charge as of yet as Gabriella was constantly carrying her still.

As the bright orb in the sky began to slip away, we went back into the house and settled into the living room after Troy and Gabriella took turns leaving the room to come back wearing different materials on their bodies in different shapes and shades.

Once I was done cleaning myself, I stretched out on the floor and instantly felt a presence lie down next to me, turning my head to see it was Ian with his eyes half-closed. _I'm right there with you kiddo…_

After a few moments, I felt weight drape over my back and realized that Ian had thrown his arm around me as his eyes began to close, his own head resting on his arm as my own rested on my paws.

There was a bright flash that drew my attention, followed by another one that was even brighter, my eyes opening back up to see Gabriella put that small thing she focused on me several times in my lifetime, sometimes blinding me with that light and sometimes not, onto the seat next to her. Troy was busy with Denise in his arms now, being fed through that long type of bowl that somehow didn't spill whenever it was tilted like that. Fluffy of course was busy playing with the catnip mouse she so adored, ignoring the rest of us.

Next thing I knew, Gabriella scooped Ian up without waking him and placed him on the couch, kissing him on his forehead. She then came back to me and gathered me in her arms, scratching the back of my ears as I rubbed against her neck. "Oh Miles, what a blessing you really are to our family. I know you sometimes get jealous of Fluffy but you'll always be my kitty."

No sweeter words could have been spoken to me just then. "You'll always be my human."

"There goes his meow again. Gabriella, do you ever wonder what he's saying when he meows?" Troy asked.

"Sometimes, but other times I know that it's better that I don't know when it's between him and Fluffy. I think their arguing is prep for when Denise and Ian both get older," Gabriella replied, sitting down next to Troy, settling me on her lap, her hand continuing to pet me.

Troy chuckled. "Guess you're right. We have quite the little family, don't you think?"

"I'd have to agree," she returned, leaning into his hold after Troy wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I couldn't imagine a better life than spending it with you and our two beautiful children and of course our adorable cats."

"We definitely do have it good, especially considering the many other people out there who haven't met someone as wonderful as you to share the rest of their lives with nor have the amazing kids that we do."

"Careful what you say Troy. Ian and Denise aren't teenagers yet."

"Haha, funny. Really though, these moments are the ones I live for, that keep me going at work when I am all burned out. Just simple moments like these."

This time, I heard their lips meet, not bothering to pick my head up from where they were resting on my paws, Gabriella's constant petting lulling me to sleep.

Yes, life had changed quite a bit since it was just me and Gabriella in her apartment but I have to agree with Troy. Life was good, and despite the annoyances in my life like Fluffy, these furry moments in time made it all worth it.


End file.
